Why people line up every day for a cake store open only at night in Kabukicho, where the American dream can come true
The target was young women who were not afraid of Kabukicho.”
In Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, a “night cake café” that is open from 5:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight is attracting attention.
The owner is a woman of many talents. Megumi Takeno, 45, has 18 years of experience as a hostess at first-class hotels and high-class Japanese restaurants in Paris, London, and Ginza, five years of experience in public relations at a major host club in Kabukicho, and is also certified as an “advanced SNS expert.
The restaurant opened last November and has quadrupled in size in just one year. But why Kabukicho, of all places? Kabukicho is a place where the American dream can come true,” says Mr. Takeno, and we asked him about the secret to his success.
From Kabukicho! The only whole cake for one person in Japan made with rare Jersey whipped cream!
There are still a lot of shady stores in Kabukicho. In a sense, it is a place where it is easy to make dreams come true, as long as someone who can manage the business properly comes in.
After five years in charge of host club PR in Kabukicho, Ms. Takeno has blended in well, but Kabukicho is a town where you can get ripped off if you’re not careful. He says, “Even if you’re very careful, you can still get ripped off.
I think that once an ordinary person gets ripped off like that, he or she will never want to go back to that place again. I opened the cake shop partly because I wanted to embody the idea that there are restaurants and eateries where you can go in peace of mind.
The name of the store is “Shortcake Company. The chic monotone store has 30 seats, including a counter. The cakes are individually made to order by the patissier, so there is no showcase. The phone number is not open to the public because the staff cannot keep up with the demand. Reservations are accepted only through the website. A reservation fee of 500 yen is required, but since there is often a long line, it is better to make a reservation to be sure.
The most distinctive feature of this popular store is that it offers whole cakes in a single person’s size.
It’s fun to be able to eat a whole cake by yourself. Of course cut cakes are delicious, but I would really like to eat a whole cake from one end to the other.
The fresh cream is made from milk fat from Jersey cows that have received a royal warrant from the British Royal Family. In his search for light and rich cream, he compared dozens of different kinds and finally arrived at the right one.
Jersey cows account for only about 1% of all dairy cows. Their milk fat is so delicate that when it is made into whipped cream, it melts at the temperature of the hand that squeezes it. Ice cream and soft serve ice cream are quite common, but I think this is probably the only place in Japan that uses it in cakes.
Gathered here are a diverse group of people whose culture is “complete” in Kabukicho.
There are many cafes that serve cakes, but I’ve never heard of one that makes cakes to order. The taste, appearance, and ideas are superb. I think they could compete well in Aoyama and Omotesando. ……
The concept is to target young women who don’t mind going to Kabukicho. There are young women in Shibuya, but most of them are students. The otaku girls in Ikebukuro spend a lot of money on “guess what” activities, but we don’t want to have a café where the main focus is on “guess what” activities.
If we opened a store in an established town like Aoyama or Omotesando, it would only be one of many stores, but if we opened a cake shop in Kabukicho, it would be unique, so everyone would come here, and I thought it would help revitalize the town.
The clientele is diverse. People who are based in Shinjuku stop by and say, “I want to eat something delicious once in a while. These people don’t often go to Aoyama or Omotesando, and there is also a need for a place where culture is complete within Kabukicho. It’s quite an amazing place to target.
People who are looking for a cute and attractive place to eat often come to
Surprisingly, we also have a lot of male repeat customers, and not a few people who stop by alone.
During our interview, one of the regulars who came to greet Mr. Takeno showed us a bear strap, saying, “I brought this little guy here today to take a picture with the cake. It seems that many customers are attracted by Mr. Gakuno’s personality.
And it is not only customers who gather at …….
Patissier is a wonderful job, but there are many people who work under harsh working conditions. I want to go back to work, but I am scared. I’m afraid I’ll have to work full time again like before and get yelled at, and I distrust people. ……”
Mr. Takeno himself has worked in the food and beverage industry for a long time and has experienced some black workplaces, so he is very eager for people to enjoy working here in a relaxed and enjoyable manner. The Shortcake Company currently has five patissiers, and none of them have quit since the opening.
In the second part, we will hear about the struggles of the staff, how Ms. Takeno quit her job as the proprietress of a kappo restaurant that she had nurtured to two Michelin stars to take on public relations for a host club, and her vision for the future.
Megumi Takeno is the owner of Shortcake Company. Representative Director of Midorita Co. She is an expert in SNS operation, consulting, and corporate training as a lecturer at the Japan Self-Defense Forces and Takashimaya Department Store, and also works as an SNS operation agent and advisor for many restaurants, personal gyms, celebrities, and other businesses. After working as the proprietress of a two-star Michelin Guide Tokyo restaurant in Ginza and in Kabukicho marketing public relations, she started her own SNS marketing business, which was incorporated in August 2021. Author of “The World’s Easiest Textbook for Attracting and Managing Twitter Customers, 1st Grade” (Soteksha)
Interview and text： Ide Chimasa PHOTO： Sugizo
